Iman Vellani had a unique chance to write her own character for the Ms. Marvel comic book series. She could contribute her own personal insights to the page and had a thorough understanding of the character of the actor who plays Kamala Khan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is something that even Robert Downey Jr., who played Iron Man in the MCU, was not able to do.
Iron Man, one of the most well-known superheroes in the world, has been further elevated by Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark, the iconic character, in ten Marvel films. The actor’s portrayal of Iron Man has received high appreciation and has been hailed by many critics as one of the best superhero performances of all time.
Iman Vellani Wrote Her Own Character Which Even Robert Downey Jr Couldn’t Do
Iman Vellani, the actress who plays Kamala Khan in the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, made history by becoming the first Marvel Cinematic Universe actor to write a comic book about their character. Co-written by Vellani and Sabir Pirzada, the four-issue limited series Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant was published in August 2023. Vellani’s participation in the comic book series is evidence of her in-depth knowledge of and affinity for Kamala Khan.
Also read: Ms. Marvel Star Iman Vellani Had the Best Surprise For MCU Fans at The Marvels Screening
During an interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she said that she feels a personal responsibility to portray Kamala accurately and authentically and that she brings her own ventures as a Pakistani-American Muslim teenager to her role. This personal connection to the character is evident in the comic book series, which explores Kamala’s struggles with identity, belonging, and self-acceptance in a way that is both relatable and empowering.
“It’s the most special thing ever. I can’t be on your show without bringing up Sana Amanat. She’s the reason this happened. She co-created the character, and she made a couple of phone calls to Marvel editorial and forced them to let me write it.
And I really don’t know what she said to them, but it’s real and that’s the last name which is so cool. It’s great. We were just talking about how cool it is to receive art every morning.”
While Robert Downey Jr. was a beloved actor in the role of Iron Man, he was never given the option to write his own comic book about the character. This is probably because Ms. Marvel is not as well-known and established as Iron Man is, and there might have been doubts about a movie star’s ability to capture the essence of the character in comic book form.
Vellani’s accomplishments with Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant demonstrate that MCU performers can contribute a distinct view and that there is a role for them to be included in the character development process. Her participation in the comic book series will undoubtedly encourage other young actors to pursue their own artistic aspirations and is a wonderful step forward for diversity and representation in the MCU.
The Marvels Didn’t Do Marvels at the Box Office
The Marvels has been a box office disappointment for Marvel Studios, grossing a mere $114 million worldwide in its opening weekend. This is significantly lower than the opening weekends of previous MCU films, such as Thor: Love and Thunder with $144 million and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with $187 million.
Many argue that the movie suffers from superhero fatigue, as fans may be becoming tired of the superhero flicks that have been coming out nonstop lately. In addition, several other high-profile movies, like the Black Panther and Avatar sequels, were also released in recent years as the movie, which might have diverted viewers’ attention.
The Marvels has gotten mostly favorable reviews from critics who have lauded its acting, action scenes, and visual effects, despite its underwhelming box office success. Nevertheless, the movie’s critical praise hasn’t been sufficient to bring in money.
Whether The Marvels can eventually recover its $220 million production expenditure is still up in the air. It’s evident that the movie has fallen short of Marvel Studios’ high standards, though, and this could mean that the company needs to start reconsidering how it approaches producing superhero films.
